By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– Nigeria’s broadcast industry is poised for a major transformation as the Federal Government confirmed that the country’s long-awaited Digital Switch Over (DSO) project will officially launch on June 17, 2026.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced this on Wednesday during an inspection tour of facilities at NIGCOMSAT located at the Obasanjo Space Centre in Abuja.
The minister, who toured the facility alongside the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen, described the development as a major milestone in the reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to Idris, the launch marks the end of years of delay in Nigeria’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.
“This is a new dawn for our country. The promise that President Tinubu made to reform all sectors is now being seen in action in the broadcast industry,” the minister said.
He explained that the new digital broadcasting ecosystem would significantly improve television broadcasting standards in Nigeria by enhancing picture quality, increasing competition, and expanding access to free television services across the country and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Idris said the upgraded platform would also provide accurate audience measurement and analytics for broadcasters and advertisers.
“If you are viewing any particular station, you know who is viewing, what they are watching, and how many people are watching,” he stated.
He added that the initiative would stimulate content growth, attract investment, and move Nigeria fully from Standard Definition (SD) to High Definition (HD) broadcasting.
“The monopoly has been broken. Everybody is going to compete. Content is going to grow, viewership will grow, and Nigeria is now moving from SD to HD broadcasting,” he said.
The minister further disclosed that Nigerians would enjoy cleaner television signals through satellite broadcasting and mobile applications powered by NIGCOMSAT technology.
Speaking during the tour, Ebuebu said the upgraded DSO framework was designed to align with modern technology and evolving viewing habits.
According to him, the new system leverages satellite broadcasting and mobile applications to ensure nationwide accessibility beyond the pilot cities covered under previous DSO phases.
“We’re going to have 100 channels by the day of launch and even more because more content producers are talking to us. We want to create one market and one platform for Nigeria,” he said.
He also revealed plans for regional production studios and multilingual customer support centres across the country to strengthen operations and improve user experience.
On her part, Egerton-Idehen described the collaboration between NIGCOMSAT and NBC as a strategic partnership that has improved operational standards and service delivery in Nigeria’s digital broadcasting ecosystem.
She assured that ongoing investments and satellite expansion plans under the current administration would guarantee reliable and uninterrupted service delivery.
“The work has only just started. The work has only just begun,” she said.
Other dignitaries on the tour included the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Salihu Abdullahi Dembos; Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Baba Ndace; Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Mohammed Bulama; and Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, alongside other senior government officials.
